King County leaders urge residents to prepare for seasonal flooding

King County Executive Dow Constantine and Flood District chair Reagan Dunn urge residents to prepare for flood season, despite the mild weather this fall.

Flood season is common from November to February, during periods of heavy rain or rapid snowmelt.

Since 1990, King County has experienced 12 federally declared flood disasters. Flood disasters affect every citizen in the county. Flooding poses significant threats to public health and safety but King County provides many ways to help people prepare for the flood season that occurs every year.

“Our dedicated employees stand ready with partners at every level of government to respond to flooding throughout King County,” Constantine said in a release. “I encourage everyone in our region to take a moment this month to prepare for possible flooding, including signing up to receive King County flood alerts.”

To prepare for a flood emergency, families can assemble basic emergency preparedness kits for their homes. Kits should hold items such as a flashlight with spare batteries, a portable radio, non-perishable food, drinking water and even books or games for younger family members.

The county also offers free access to KC Flood Alerts. The automated system allows subscribers to receive customized alerts of potential flooding for any or all of the county’s major river systems including Snoqualmie River, Tolt River, Skykomish River, Ragin River, Issaquah Creek, Cedar River, Green River and White River. King County also issues flood-related notifications and other emergency information via ALERT King County.

“I urge everyone to be aware of potential flood risks at home, along their commute route, and at work, and to take the necessary steps to stay safe throughout this flood season,” Dunn said in a release.

King County employees will mobilize and begin to gather, analyze and distribute flood warning information to residents, businesses, property owners and emergency response officials if a flood event is imminent.

To learn more about seasonal flooding, visit kingcounty.gov for more information.